Whatever you think of the song, you will agree it is a remarkable story. It goes to the tune McCafferty/Lady Franklin's lament.
Pte RICHARD HOVENDEN OF THE 58th(Rutlandshire)REGT. OF FOOT
(Keith A of Hertford)

He nobly served in the Peninsular,
Was proved the hero at Bidassoa,
Drowning the horror, Pte Hovenden,
Was charged a drunkard,
With his four good friends.

Those steelbacks did the lash disdain,
And never showed if they felt the pain,
One hundred strokes they all nobly bore,
But Hovenden fainted,
After twentyfour.

Sharper than lashes was the shame,
He planned a way to regain his name,
To be bound again up against the wheel,
Fearing no more flogging
Than the cold French steel.

Up to his Colonel he marched away,
Banged in his heels and to him did say,
No disrespect from my lips would pass,
But I must say Sir,
That you are an arse.

In speechless fury his jaw hung wide,
And Hovenden was soon back inside,
One hundred strokes for his insolence,
And fifty more
Was the recompence.

But no cell could Hovenden contain,
As the French stormed Tolosa again,
The Colonel fell to those bold Frenchmen,
His life was saved by
Private Hovenden.

Then wounded back to his cell that night,
To await the flogging that was his right,
And there they found Pte Hovenden,
Released forever,
From his world of pain.

KA